Judge Mandisa Maya Biography, Age, Husband, Salary, Daughter, Children, Qualifications

Mandisa Maya Biography

Mandisa Maya is the first female Chief Justice of South Africa. She will resume her position on September 1, 2024, replacing Chief Justice Raymond Zondo whose term ends on August 31, 2024. Maya was appointed Deputy Chief Justice in September 2023 after she was interviewed by the Judicial Service Commission. She was president of the Supreme Court of Appeal before she was appointed Deputy Chief Justice.

She began her legal career as an Assistant State Law Adviser in Mthatha in 1991 and in 1994, was admitted to the Transkei Bar. Since 1999, she has served as a member of the judiciary in various capacities and in May 2006, she was appointed as a member of the Bench in the Supreme Court of Appeal. Justice Maya served as an acting judge of the Constitutional Court and was appointed as Deputy President of the Supreme Court of Appeal in 2015 and served as Acting President in 2016. In May 2017, Justice Maya became the first woman President of the Supreme Court of Appeal. Maya was appointed Deputy Chief Justice in September 2023. In July 2024, she was appointed Chief Justice of South Africa.

She has served as a member of the Black Lawyers Association, the National Association of Democratic Lawyers and the Commonwealth Association of Law Reform Agencies. In 2004, she founded the South African Chapter of the International Association of Women Judges and remains an active member. Maya holds various leadership and advisory roles in organisations such as Lawyers against Violence, the SA Institute for Advanced Constitutional; Public; Human Rights and International Law. She serves as a Commissioner on the Judicial Service Commission and as a council member on the SA Judicial Education Institute. She has served as a member and as Chairperson of the South African Law Reform Commission since 2013 and as a board member of the South African Journal on Human rights.

Justice Maya has been involved in many community-based organisation, including the Transkei Women’s Zenzele Association and the Women’s Economic Advancement Group (Pty) Ltd.

Mandisa Maya Qualifications

Maya matriculated from St Johns College in Mthatha and graduated from the former University of the Transkei with a B.Proc degree in 1986. She went on to complete her L.L.B. degree from the University of Natal in 1988 and, in 1990, obtained a L.L.M. degree from Duke University, USA on a Fulbright scholarship.

She has been awarded three Doctor of Laws (Honoris Causa) degrees by Nelson Mandela University, Walter Sisulu University and the University of Fort Hare, in recognition of her contribution to the development of South Africa’s jurisprudence as well as the empowerment of women in the legal profession and the judiciary.

Maya is a fellow in the Georgetown University School of Law ‘Law & Gender Fellowship Program’ and the Commonwealth Foundation Fellowship. In 2012, Justice Maya was the recipient of the South African Women Lawyers Icon Award – honoured for the role she plays in empowering and mentoring women in both the judiciary and the broader legal profession.

She is the recipient of the 2020 Duke Law International Law Alumnus Award. Recently she was made Chancellor of the
University of Mpumalanga.

Mandisa Maya Age

Chief Justice Mandisa Muriel Lindelwa Maya was born on 20 March 1964 in Tsolo, Transkei, South Africa.

Mandisa Maya Husband

Judge Mandisa Maya is married to Dabulamanzi Mlokoti, a businessman and entrepreneur from Johannesburg.

Mandisa Maya Children

Mandisa Maya has three children. Her daughter, Nomazizi, is a commercial model and influencer. Nomazizi is a graduate of Duke University, where she studied law.

Mandisa Maya Salary

Justice Mandisa Maya receives an annual salary of R2 765 159 as Deputy Chief Justice. As Chief Justice of South Africa, Maya will receive an annual salary of about R3 million.